Holloway pitched up at a recent league managers' meeting with myself, Alex Ferguson, Roy Hodgson, Mark Hughes, Avram Grant and Ray Wilkins, the Chelsea No 2.

But could we stop him talking? No, not on your life.

He was a bundle of non-stop enthusiasm who slotted in like he has always been there.

Ollie is one of those down-to-earth people I love. He tells it like it is, in fact just like the fans on the terrace see it most of the time.

He doesn't have to put on an act, he doesn't have airs and graces. But what he does have is a really good knowledge of the game and what it takes to win matches.

Holloway doesn't need me to spell out the size of the task facing him this season.

And, if he manages to pull off what will be a great escape, Ollie will definitely be getting my vote as the season's best manager.

People are saying that Newcastle, even with all of their resources, will struggle in the Premier League this campaign.

Well, Blackpool finished 32 points behind Chris Hughton's Championship winners last term before giving us those fantastic scenes at Wembley when the Seasiders won the play-off final against Cardiff.

If the Toon are going to struggle despite finishing so far ahead, what are Blackpool expected to achieve?

They have come up on a shoestring budget and, with their resources, they are never going to be able to compete on the wages front.

Those two factors alone have them installed as favourites to go straight back down.

Not only to go straight back down but to drop back into the Championship after one season among the elite by finishing bottom of the Premier League.

Bookies will get caned if that happens because I don't know too many people who haven't put Blackpool in their season's bets as a banker for relegation.

Ollie - who I tried to sign when I was manager at Bournemouth - has got his chance because he has grafted away with an unfashionable side and taken them up.

It's one of only two ways a young boss gets a chance. The other is to take over a team who are up to their necks in the brown stuff.

The opening-day win over Wigan had everyone blinking in disbelief. But the question now is can they keep it going.

Euphoria from the 4-0 win at the DW Stadium will quickly disappear and the real test will come when Blackpool lose four or five on the spin. And that WILL happen.

That is when Ollie will be put under real pressure and he will have to get his squad to react in the right way.

Can he do it? I hope so as he is a real character, one of those blokes you would want to buy a pint for.

We should all be looking at the Ollie factor as I know he will squeeze every last drop of effort out of his squad as Blackpool fans dream the impossible dream.

The Seasiders are not a long-ball side but instead try to play good, creative football that some might find a tad surprising.

That all stems from Ollie's trip to Holland during a spell out of work, when he studied new coaching techniques and approaches to the game.

Blackpool fans - and maybe the odd anorak - will be able to tell you who the team's top scorer was last season.

But, outside of that, I reckon most would be struggling to name half-a-dozen of their players off the top of their head.

I've a feeling that, at the end of the season, those same names will trip a lot more easily off the tongue.

And I'm hoping Ollie will be pitching up at more meetings next season with his fellow Premier League managers.